About

Running Start is a good fit for students who:

  • Are prepared for the challenge of rigorous college-level coursework.
  • Are motivated to participate in the college environment and possess the maturity to do so.
  • Are self-starters with good time-management skills.
  • Seek traditional, online, or hybrid class formats.

Green River's Running Start program at a glance:

  • 1,500 students participate from over 30 high schools across 15 school districts.
  • The average GPA of a Running Start student is 3.0.
  • Mixture of students who enroll full-time and part-time at Green River.
  • Student pursue both transfer and career/technical education programs.
  • Students can participate in campus activities and leadership, with the exception of athletics.

Getting Started

You can find more information about Green River's Running Start program such as eligibility criteria, steps to apply and more by visiting the Prospective Students section.

Costs

The Running Start program covers tuition for up to 15 college-level credits (courses numbered 100 or above), depending on the number of classes a student takes at their high school. However, there are other costs that Running Start does not pay for:

  • Textbooks and supplies: Costs vary depending on textbooks and supplies required for each class. The average cost of books and supplies for a full-time student is $300 per quarter.
  • Student-voted fees: These include facilities fee, technology fee, student center fee and special services fee per quarter. 
  • Class fees: Cost varies per quarter according to enrollment; see quarterly ** class schedule ** for details.

Fee Waiver and Book Loan Program

Running Start students can take advantage of the Fee Waiver and Book Loan Program which assists students by waiving the cost of quarterly student-voted fees as well as allows students to loan textbooks.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Student is eligible for the Free or Reduced Lunch program in the high school district they are enrolled through. OR
  • Student is a foster youth or has McKinney-Vento status. OR
  • Student is currently receiving public assistance from a state or federal program. OR
  • Student is a College Bound Scholarship student. OR
  • Students' household income is less than 200% of the 2024 Annual Federal Poverty Level published in the Federal Register

Documentation of eligibility is required. For examples of documents that would show eligiblity, please refer to the list on the application.

Applying for the Fee Waiver and Book Loan Program:

  • Complete the Fee Waiver and Book Loan Program Application and submit form to the Running Start Office located in SA 135 or upload online here (choose Running Start as the department to send it to).
  • Applications must be submitted no later than the Friday before the start of the quarter starts to the Running Start Office. Only one application is required for the duration of your time in the Running Start program at Green River. Applying for the Fee Waiver and Book Loan Program cannot retroactively cover fees owed from quarter prior to application.
  • Student will receive an email on how to request textbooks after their application has been processed.